A CAMPAIGN to save Hockley’s public toilets will now be discussed by Rochford District Council after a hugely successful petition.

A petition for the toilets in Southend Road to remain open has been signed by 2,737 people, with a further 300 believed to have signed after the petition’s deadline.

Adrian Eves, Rochford District Residents’ councillor for Hockley, hopes that the petition will reiterate the desire to keep the facilities, which are set to close in April next year. he said: “I feel Rochford has severely underestimated the public feeling about it. It feels like all the council are doing with the proposal is moving the chairs around on the Titanic.

“I strongly believe that there is a moral responsibility for the council to maintain these toilets and the desire of the Hockley community is shown in the petition.” The toilets are in a group with the other facilities in Rochford, apart from Hockley Woods, which Mr Eves said would remain under district council control.

Mr Eves added that he believes the agreement made by the other councils in the district to take on the maintenance of the toilets would not be a smart move.

He said: “It was originally in order to save the district council some money but I think it will cost them more, and the costs are also going to moved onto the parishes.

“It is now going to become a real problem for the three parishes that have accepted the proposal.”

Dave Sperring, Conservative councillor for the environment, feels that the proposal is a necessary move in order to maintain the toilets for the next ten years and more.

He said: “We are no longer in a position where we can work in silos, we have to work together as district, town and parish councils for the community in Rochford.

“Hockley is a different situation because of a pending situation with the county and Marcus Hotton and I will be attending a parish council meeting where more information will be given.

“We have put in a lot of hours into this plan and we already have three parish and town councils signed up to it, the investment board has also looked over it and the figures all stack up.”